Police investigate video showing gays ejected from public pool for kissing

Illustrated rainbow pride flag on a white background.

Police have become involved after threats were made when a mother posted a video of her son being thrown out of a pool for kissing his boyfriend.

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The couple say they were thrown out of the pool for one kiss

The video, titled ‘swimming pool bigotry/Texas’, was posted online by Brandon Roper.

It features him and his boyfriend engaged in a heated debate with pool staff, who say public displays of affection are banned, and that he shouldn’t have kissed his boyfriend, Giuseppe Cellura.

However, Roper argues that there were several other couples playing around and kissing one another, and that the pool attendant only asked them to stop, and said she would get her manager, because they are a gay couple.

Another member of the public also argues that there is nothing on the rules which states that PDAs are banned.

“[I felt] singled out and discriminated against. Like I was different than everyone else in the pool and not only that, but [I was] embarrassed,” said Brandon Roper.

Police were involved after threats were made against Belinda Roper, Brandon’s mother, who posted it to her community Facebook page.

She says she then received messages asking whether she wanted men with guns to show up at the Tehama Ridge pool.

“I’m afraid for my life. I’m very afraid for my life,” said Belinda Roper, adding that several others also made threats.

“We should stand up for everybody. Everybody deserves the right to have a free and happy life,” she added.

Meanwhile Bearfoot Management, which provided the pool attendant, has released a statement saying:

“Bearfoot Management and its employees are truly sorry for any actions that have occurred making the family involved in this incident feel they have been treated with any type of disrespect. We have reached out to the family and expressed our sincere regret for the incident that occurred.

“Our company’s policies are to ensure a family friendly environment at each pool we manage. Our expectation is to enforce this practice without discrimination of any sort. We train our employees to treat each person with love and respect. While we are in the business of pool management, our company takes it upon itself to try to mold the young adults and teens working for us to be responsible and caring adults to help improve the world around us.”

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According to reports, the pool attendant no longer works for Bearfoot management

Watch the exchange below:

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